The Assassin’s Creed franchise has been around since 2007 and has produced some of the most action-packed video-games the world has ever seen. While the company faltered for a couple of years, Ubisoft has picked themselves up and dusted themselves off to rebound better than ever.
Despite being on the mend, Assassin’s Creed didn’t look well for a few years. Right alongside the blunders that were AC: Unity and AC: Syndicate in 2014 and 2015, the franchise released a movie in 2016 that tanked. However, the movie was an original idea not based on any of the games, so we decided to make a list of the top 5 AC games that could be turned into a movie, and 5 that shouldn’t.
(Could) Assassin’s Creed: Freedom Cry
Right off the bat, we’ll start with an addition of Assassin’s Creed that was a DLC instead of one of the actual games, and one that we would highly recommend if players haven’t checked it out yet.
Black Flag was a universal success (the only critique being that it was more of a pirate game than an assassin game) but the DLC package that came with it focused on Edward’s first-mate, Adewale, as he tries to rid Port-au-Prince of the slave trade. There’s not nearly as much pirating in this version and a movie about an assassin trying to free slaves sounds like a blockbuster to us.
(Shouldn’t) Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag
You might be confused since we just stated that Black Flag is one of the only AC games that fans agreed was phenomenal. However, when it comes to the only critique of the game (it’s a pirate game, not an assassin game) it’s a little too true for a movie based on the premise to work.
We’re not saying that pirate movies can’t be interesting or good - they’ve just been done before, and the world doesn’t necessarily need to see another one with the B-plot of the Templars vs Assassins thrown in to confuse everyone who isn’t familiar with the franchise.
(Could) Assassin’s Creed: Rogue
This premise could work, just not during the period that the game takes place. Another AC game that wasn’t an original release and came out after Black Flag was Rogue, the story that followed an Assassin turned Templar.
The game itself was met with decent reviews with most people saying it just felt like a mesh of AC III and Black Flag, but the setting of the early days of America is a concept that’s just been done too many times in film for the big screen version of this concept to succeed. That said, an Assassin turned Templar is a great concept for a movie and one that could be done well with the right moving parts.
(Shouldn’t) Assassin’s Creed: Unity
This particular Assassin’s Creed game should never be turned into a movie for the same reason that nobody should ever play the video-game itself - it’s just bad. This was the game that started the franchise’s woes and nearly brought the entire series to a grinding halt as the game had numerous glitches, and it changed the game-play so much that regular fans wanted nothing to do with it.
As for the setting, it’s about as memorable as the actual Assassin’s Creed movie was, as it takes place during the French Revolution. It’s feasible, certainly, but they’d have so much work ahead of them in terms of shoring up the audience’s interest in this particular bit of historical context that it casts more than a shadow of doubt over the idea of it actually working.
(Could) Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood
We’re starting to get into some of the games that would make tremendous movies, and Brotherhood is easily one of the top choices. Just think about it - Ezio is still considered the best Assassin in the franchise and had the best story arc of any of them (granted, he’s the only one who got an entire trilogy, but still).
Pair that with the fact that “team-up” movies such as Avengers: Endgame, are taking the world by storm right now, and you’ve got an equation for a film that is sure to see positive results.
(Shouldn’t) Assassin’s Creed
Please, not another movie set during a holy war. The original Assassin’s Creed game wasn’t the best and it wasn’t the worst, but credit needs to be given where it’s due since it is the game that inspired the entire franchise as we know it today.
But, in terms of taking the story and turning it into a movie? We’ll have to pass. The game’s premise of the Assassin’s vs. Templars is the bedrock for the entire franchise, however, another movie set during the Crusades is just something the world doesn’t need to see.
(Could) Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate
The game itself might have been met with heavy criticism, but that was the writer’s fault (or whoever came up with the game’s dialogue and story-line). That being said, the setting of AC: Syndicate would serve perfectly for a film adaptation about assassins, as Victorian-era London was one of the most interesting places in one of the most interesting times in history.
The industrial revolution was in full swing, and a well-done movie could really have some fun with whatever toys and gadgets the Assassins had during that time. Imagine it - the movie would be a cross-over of Sherlock Holmes and the Peaky Blinders. If that doesn’t sound interesting, then we can’t help you.
(Shouldn’t) Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey
Didn’t Zack Snyder already make this movie? We joke, but seriously, the world doesn’t need another movie focused on how brutal Spartans were at killing. AC: Odyssey was much more than that as it explored the entirety of the Peloponnesian War, but the concept of Greek mythology has been done so many times in pop-culture that the idea has just been beaten to death.
Not to mention that Odyssey was the first game where the protagonist had “magic abilities” thanks to Leonidas’ spear, and that would be stretching it a little far for a movie plot.
(Could) Assassin’s Creed: Origins
The height Ancient Egyptian culture was frame of time where so much was happening (it was basically the ancient equivalent of the industrial revolution) and yet, there are next-to-no movies or television shows based on characters of the era.
The great works of architecture and advancements in society would be a perfect setting for an assassin to slip into the cracks and help take down the corruption of the Pharaohs (especially since a lot of the era’s advancements were accomplished through slaves, and we all know how the Assassin’s feel about that particular subject).
(Shouldn’t) Assassin’s Creed: III
Let’s make one thing perfectly clear - the protagonist of this game would make for a perfect movie protagonist. The game’s setting, however, is less than stellar in comparison. AC: III was another one of the franchise’s games that just doesn’t need a film treatment for the sole reason that movies set during the American Civil War have been done a million times.
That said, a movie featuring a protagonist that’s half Native-American and half-Caucasian would certainly make for an interesting film premise and could work if handled correctly - but again, just not during the American Civil War.
